Tshilidzi Marwala – författare

Hamiltonian Monte Carlo Methods in Machine Learning introduces methods for optimal tuning of HMC parameters, along with an introduction of Shadow and Non-canonical HMC methods with improvements and speedup. Lastly, the authors address the critical issues of variance reduction for parameter estimates of numerous HMC based samplers. The book offers a comprehensive introduction to Hamiltonian Monte Carlo methods and provides a cutting-edge exposition of the current pathologies of HMC-based methods in both tuning, scaling and sampling complex real-world posteriors. These are mainly in the scaling of inference (e.g., Deep Neural Networks), tuning of performance-sensitive sampling parameters and high sample autocorrelation.

Other sections provide numerous solutions to potential pitfalls, presenting advanced HMC methods with applications in renewable energy, finance and image classification for biomedical applications. Readers will get acquainted with both HMC sampling theory and algorithm implementation.

Militarized Conflict Modeling Using Computational Intelligence examines the application of computational intelligence methods to model conflict. Traditionally, conflict has been modeled using game theory. The inherent limitation of game theory when dealing with more than three players in a game is the main motivation for the application of computational intelligence in modeling conflict.

Militarized interstate disputes (MIDs) are defined as a set of interactions between, or among, states that can result in the display, threat or actual use of military force in an explicit way. These interactions can result in either peace or conflict. This book models the relationship between key variables and the risk of conflict between two countries. The variables include Allies which measures the presence or absence of military alliance, Contiguity which measures whether the countries share a common boundary or not and Major Power which measures whether either or both states are a major power.

Militarized Conflict Modeling Using Computational Intelligence implements various multi-layer perception neural networks, Bayesian networks, support vector machines, neuro-fuzzy models, rough sets models, neuro-rough sets models and optimized rough sets models to create models that estimate the risk of conflict given the variables. Secondly, these models are used to study the sensitivity of each variable to conflict. Furthermore, a framework on how these models can be used to control the possibility of peace is proposed. Finally, new and emerging topics on modelling conflict are identified and further work is proposed.

Probabilistic Finite Element Model Updating Using Bayesian Statistics: Applications to Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering 

Tshilidzi Marwala and Ilyes Boulkaibet, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Sondipon Adhikari, Swansea University, UK

Covers the probabilistic finite element model based on Bayesian statistics with applications to aeronautical and mechanical engineering

Finite element models are used widely to model the dynamic behaviour of many systems including in electrical, aerospace and mechanical engineering.

The book covers probabilistic finite element model updating, achieved using Bayesian statistics. The Bayesian framework is employed to estimate the probabilistic finite element models which take into account of the uncertainties in the measurements and the modelling procedure. The Bayesian formulation achieves this by formulating the finite element model as the posterior distribution of the model given the measured data within the context of computational statistics and applies these in aeronautical and mechanical engineering.

Probabilistic Finite Element Model Updating Using Bayesian Statistics contains simple explanations of computational statistical techniques such as Metropolis-Hastings Algorithm, Slice sampling, Markov Chain Monte Carlo method, hybrid Monte Carlo as well as Shadow Hybrid Monte Carlo and their relevance in engineering.

Key features:

The book is essential reading for researchers, practitioners and students in mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Probabilistic Finite Element Model Updating Using Bayesian Statistics: Applications to Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering 

Tshilidzi Marwala and Ilyes Boulkaibet, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Sondipon Adhikari, Swansea University, UK

Covers the probabilistic finite element model based on Bayesian statistics with applications to aeronautical and mechanical engineering

Finite element models are used widely to model the dynamic behaviour of many systems including in electrical, aerospace and mechanical engineering.

The book covers probabilistic finite element model updating, achieved using Bayesian statistics. The Bayesian framework is employed to estimate the probabilistic finite element models which take into account of the uncertainties in the measurements and the modelling procedure. The Bayesian formulation achieves this by formulating the finite element model as the posterior distribution of the model given the measured data within the context of computational statistics and applies these in aeronautical and mechanical engineering.

Probabilistic Finite Element Model Updating Using Bayesian Statistics contains simple explanations of computational statistical techniques such as Metropolis-Hastings Algorithm, Slice sampling, Markov Chain Monte Carlo method, hybrid Monte Carlo as well as Shadow Hybrid Monte Carlo and their relevance in engineering.

Key features:

The book is essential reading for researchers, practitioners and students in mechanical and aerospace engineering.

The book focuses on smart computing for crowdfunding usage, looking at the crowdfunding landscape, e.g., reward-, donation-, equity-, P2P-based and the crowdfunding ecosystem, e.g., regulator, asker, backer, investor, and operator. The increased complexity of fund raising scenario, driven by the broad economic environment as well as the need for using alternative funding sources, has sparked research in smart computing techniques. Covering a wide range of detailed topics, the authors of this book offer an outstanding overview of the current state of the art; providing deep insights into smart computing methods, tools, and their applications in crowdfunding; exploring the importance of smart analysis, prediction, and decision-making within the fintech industry. This book is intended to be an authoritative and valuable resource for professional practitioners and researchers alike, as well as finance engineering, and computer science students who are interested in crowdfunding and other emerging fintech topics.

The book focuses on smart computing for crowdfunding usage, looking at the crowdfunding landscape, e.g., reward-, donation-, equity-, P2P-based and the crowdfunding ecosystem, e.g., regulator, asker, backer, investor, and operator. The increased complexity of fund raising scenario, driven by the broad economic environment as well as the need for using alternative funding sources, has sparked research in smart computing techniques. Covering a wide range of detailed topics, the authors of this book offer an outstanding overview of the current state of the art; providing deep insights into smart computing methods, tools, and their applications in crowdfunding; exploring the importance of smart analysis, prediction, and decision-making within the fintech industry. This book is intended to be an authoritative and valuable resource for professional practitioners and researchers alike, as well as finance engineering, and computer science students who are interested in crowdfunding and other emerging fintech topics.

Condition Monitoring Using Computational Intelligence Methods promotes the various approaches gathered under the umbrella of computational intelligence to show how condition monitoring can be used to avoid equipment failures and lengthen its useful life, minimize downtime and reduce maintenance costs. The text introduces various signal-processing and pre-processing techniques, wavelets and principal component analysis, for example, together with their uses in condition monitoring and details the development of effective feature extraction techniques classified into frequency-, time-frequency- and time-domain analysis. Data generated by these techniques can then be used for condition classification employing tools such as:

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Economic Modeling Using Artificial Intelligence Methods examines the application of artificial intelligence methods to model economic data. Traditionally, economic modeling has been modeled in the linear domain where the principles of superposition are valid. The application of artificial intelligence for economic modeling allows for a flexible multi-order non-linear modeling. In addition, game theory has largely been applied in economic modeling. However, the inherent limitation of game theory when dealing with many player games encourages the use of multi-agent systems for modeling economic phenomena.

The artificial intelligence techniques used to model economic data include:

Signal processing techniques are explored to analyze economic data, and these techniques are the time domain methods, time-frequency domain methods and fractals dimension approaches. Interesting economic problems such as causality versus correlation, simulating the stock market, modeling and controling inflation, option pricing, modeling economic growth as well as portfolio optimization are examined. The relationship between economic dependency and interstate conflict is explored, and knowledge on how economics is useful to foster peace – and vice versa – is investigated. Economic Modeling Using Artificial Intelligence Methods deals with the issue of causality in the non-linear domain and applies the automatic relevance determination, the evidence framework, Bayesian approach and Granger causality to understand causality and correlation.

Economic Modeling Using Artificial Intelligence Methods makes an important contribution to the area of econometrics,and is a valuable source of reference for graduate students, researchers and financial practitioners.

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‘A holistic take on AI from an African perspective, Closing the Gap joins the dots on deploying AI efficiently into everyday business and life.’ – RENUKA METHIL, editor of Forbes Africa

‘This book simplifies complex concepts through relatable stories and awakens fellow Africans to the opportunities ushered in by the 4IR. Closing the Gapmust occupy our waking times.’ – MTETO NYATI, chief executive of Altron

Closing the Gap is an accessible overview of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and the impact it is set to have on various sectors in South Africa and Africa. It explores the previous industrial revolutions that have led up to this point and outlines what South Africa’s position has been through each one.

With a focus on artificial intelligence as a core concept in understanding the 4IR, this book uses familiar concepts to explain artificial intelligence, how it works and how it can be used in banking, mining, medicine and many other fields.

Written from an African perspective, Closing the Gap addresses the challenges and fears around the 4IR by pointing to the opportunities presented by new technologies and outlining some of the challenges and successes to date.